Uncoupling link for railroad cars



ewfxe 21,1927.'

A.l C. MATHER UNCOUPLING LINK FOR RATLROAD CARS 'Filed sepi-19. 1925Patented June 21, 19.27.

UNITED vvSTA TEs PATENT oFFlcE.

ALoNzo c. MATHEB., or CHICAGO, ILLTNoIs.

UNcoUPLINev LINK Fon RAILROAD CARS.

Application ined september 1a, 1923. serial No. 663,633.

construction of unooupling rod and lockingV pin; second, to provide asuiiicient amount of play or lost motion inthe'link that the coupler canmove the limit of its play without causing any damage ,.third, to make asimple,

cheap and durable construction, and other features to become apparentfrom the description to follow.

In the construction of a connecting link between the uncoupling leverandthe locking pin of a coupler it is desirable to have the saine somade that it can readily be applied to the standard makes of couplers;that there is sufficient play or lost motion provided t0 permit the freemovement of the' bumper or coupler without causing any damage to theparts; and to make a simple and cheap construction that is readilyapplied to the standard coupler. All these desirable features arecontained in my improved uncoupling link which comprises a flat bar ofiron or steel having an elongated opening at one end and a perforationat the other end so provided with a slit that the metal can be bent topermit the threading of the eye of the locking pin onto the hook thusformed and when the metal is bent back to its normal position thelocking pin will be permanently attached to the link.

'Io describe my invention so thaty others versed in the art to which it'pertains can make and use the same I have illustrated it on theaccompanying sheet of drawing forming a part of 'this specification andin which:- f

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car coupler attached to the end of acar having my improved uncoupling link attached thereto; Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the uncoupling link, the uncoupling rod and thelocking pin connected and in their normalr position but detached fromthe car; Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the relative position of theparts when the coupler is drawn out to the limit of its movement; Fig. 4is a side or edge view of the uncoupling link detached and Fig. 5 is aplan view of the same.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The end of a'car is indicated at 6, and the bumper and coupler at 7. Asis well known the locking pin 8 is in its lower or dropped position whenthe coupler is locked and is in its upper orraised position when thecoupler is unlocked. To raise the locking pin 8,V an uncoupling rod 9 isprovided having a handle end 10 near the corner of the car and havingits other bent end 11 connected to the locking pin 8. As is also wellknown the coupler 7 is mounted on the exposed end of the `drawbar whichis mounted to have a certain amount of longitudinal movement and is heldin position by suitable springs not shown. In operation when the car ispulled and pushed the drawbar and coupler necessarily move against thetension of the springs so that the position of the locking pin relativeto the end 11 of the unlocking bar constantly changes. This changing ofthe position of the locking pin 8 requires that the connection betweenit and the end 8 of the unlocking lever be a liexible connection withconsiderable lost motion, to prevent breakage of the parts. e

Theextremity of the end 11 is flattened and is provided with aperforation 12, the head of the pin 8 is provided with a perforation 13.The link 14 is provided with an elongated perforation 15 at one end andwith a rounded perforation 16 at the other end. The attened extremity ofthe end 11 is passed through the elongated perforation 15 and an openring 17 is placed in the perforation 12 to' prevent the separation ofthe parts and yet permit the end of the uncoupling rod to slide in theelongated perforation 15. The link 14 is provided with a cut or slit 18into the perforation 16 to form an open ring of the same, having thetongue shaped part 19 which can be bent to one side as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 4, to enable stringin g the eye of the pin 8 ontothe same, after which the tongue is bent back to its normal position asindicated by full lines to permanently atta-ch the pin 8 to the end ofthe link 14. As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the link 14 isVprevented from sliding back over the rod end 11 away from ring 17, bycoming into contact with the shoulder 20 formed on the rod by theflattening process.

It will be understood that the size,V form and arrangement of the partsmay be changed somewhat, without in the least departing from the scopeof my invention.

Having thusvfully described iny invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent :of the United States is In a device ot theclass described, the -un- 5 coupling rod a link having` its lower endattached to the looking pin of a coupler and its upper end slidablyconnected to the freev flattened end of the round uncoupling rod, saidlink stamped from a ilat piece 'or' metal 10 bent atan angle Jforwardlyat its upper end ytheloekinzg pin; y Y

In testimony whereof I have signed myV end sliding along theflattened-end of the uncoupling rod and an eye 'at the lower end havinga 'cut or slit in order to connect to na1ne-tothis specification this7th day of September, at Chicago, Illinois.

MenzoY o. MAfrnnn.

